ASIFA, the only internationally sanctioned organization for animation, will open a chapter in India. This new chapter will be located in the city of Trivandrum within the Indian state of Kerala, home of Toonz Animation India. The first meeting of ASIFA India will occur during The 2nd Annual Week With The Masters Animation Celebration, from October 30 - November 3, 2000. Bill Dennis, president and CEO of Toonz Animation India, will head the new chapter. Dennis has worked on animated classics such as THE LION KING, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, ALADDIN and THE LITTLE MERMAID.

On Monday, October 16, 2000, Z.com, an Internet comedy content site, laid off 50 workers -- half of its staff. However, the Webcaster has secured additional financing to keep it operating until at least next spring. The company's major backers include Internet incubator Idealab, Basic Entertainment, 3 Arts Entertainment, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Maverick Records partner Guy Oseary. "It's a tough time," Z.com CEO Joe DiNunzio told THE DAILY VARIETY. "Today's a very challenging day to have to let some really talented people go, but it's in the best interest of the company.

AWN's stock ticker features the most prominent publicly traded companies in the world of animation. AWN, Inc. makes available certain financial information from third party information providers. AWN does not give advice in any such fields, and has not reviewed, and in no way endorses the validity of such data. This information is provided solely as a means to keep our readers informed of the market performance and trends of certain companies. AWN strongly suggests that one seek advice from a competent professional regarding any investment or financial issues.

Phil Roman Entertainment, Inc. (PRE) has entered into a three-year, non-exclusive strategic alliance with the C-3D Television Network and the 3D.com Virtual Reality Portal Website, divisions of Chequemate International. The new agreement follows on the heels of PRE's president, Phil Roman's appointment to C-3D's advisory board. The partnership calls for both companies to jointly seek, develop, produce, promote, market and distribute animation and live-action programming for the C-3D Television Network and the 3D.com Virtual Reality Portal Website.

Blur Studio, a leading animation and visual effects production studio, has completed a major expansion, which added a state-of-the-art motion capture production studio to their facilities. In addition, Blur has gained a digital edit bay and a clean room for networking and digital storage hardware. The expansion comes as Blur Studio is embarking on the production of a 3D ride film for Paramount Studios and Stan Lee Media, entitled STAN LEE'S 7TH PORTAL 3D SIMULATION EXPERIENCE. "Blur is evolving and evolving quickly," said Tim Miller, the company's president.

On Monday, October 9, 2000, Eidos Plc., the U.K. video game maker, declined a potential takeover after it decided that the terms and price didn't offer a good value to its shareholders. Eidos wouldn’t release the names of the bidders, which analysts had rumored were either Infogrames SA, Microsoft Corp. or Electronic Arts. Upon the news, the company’s shares fell 11% on the London stock exchange to 261 pence and dropped 14% on the Nasdaq stock exchange to US$3.88.

AWN's stock ticker features the most prominent publicly traded companies in the world of animation. AWN, Inc. makes available certain financial information from third party information providers. AWN does not give advice in any such fields, and has not reviewed, and in no way endorses the validity of such data. This information is provided solely as a means to keep our readers informed of the market performance and trends of certain companies. AWN strongly suggests that one seek advice from a competent professional regarding any investment or financial issues.

On Friday, October 6, 2000, Cinar Corp. released a letter by company president and CEO Barrie Usher to its investors chronicling the reasons behind their delayed reporting of financial statements dating as far back as 1997. Currently, the Montreal-based production firm is under investigation for allegedly using false Canadian names on scripts, written by Americans, to obtain lucrative Canadian tax credits.

At MIPCOM, Cosgrove Hall Films has christened its new media division, Cosgrove Hall Digital (CHD) with the launch of its new Website: www.chd.uk.com. CHD will be run by managing director Iain Pelling and day-to-day operations will be overseen by Jon Rashid. The new division will create digital content for Websites, broadcast transmissions and CD-Roms. Currently, CHD is working on a pre-school series entitled WILD AND WONDERFUL, and a children’s series for ITEL entitled ALBIE.

AWN's stock ticker features the most prominent publicly traded companies in the world of animation. AWN, Inc. makes available certain financial information from third party information providers. AWN does not give advice in any such fields, and has not reviewed, and in no way endorses the validity of such data. This information is provided solely as a means to keep our readers informed of the market performance and trends of certain companies. AWN strongly suggests that one seek advice from a competent professional regarding any investment or financial issues.

German animation production house and rights buyer, TV Loonland AG has acquired the television production and distribution activities of Sony Wonder, the children’s production arm of Sony Music Entertainment. The deal was worth US$20.5 million in cash and stocks. As part of the deal, TV Loonland also obtains animation studio Sunbow Entertainment, which Sony Wonder bought in 1998. Sony will retain North American home video rights and international audio rights to their catalog of programming, which includes CLIFFORD and GENERATION O!

MIPCOM, the International Film and Programme Market for TV, Video, Cable and Satellite, hits Cannes, France on October 2 – 6, 2000. MIPCOM facilitates programme sales, deals, new contacts and joint ventures on a global basis. MIPCOM includes a five-day TV industry tradeshow, including a conference progamme on Television in the New Economy called MIPCOM: The International Trading Floor. MIPCOM brings together producers, distributors, broadcasters, Webcasters, worldwide cable and satellite operators, buyers, co-producers and investors from around the globe.

German production/rights buyer Helkon Media has acquired a 51% share in Dutch animation and merchandising house Rubinstein Media. Rubinstein founder and CEO Maurits Rubinstein will remain as head of the company. This move comes on the heels of Rubinstein and Helkon subsidiary Peppermint’s formation of a 50-50 joint children's television animation house entitled, Pepperkids.

Due to microchip shortages, Sony has decided to cut its October 26, 2000 U.S. shipment of PlayStation 2 next generation gaming consoles by half. However, Sony states that this delivery change will not affect the projected amount of units in North America by the holiday season. 500,000 consoles will ship to 20,000 stores in North America then Sony will roll out 100,000 units each week thereafter. "We will be able to supply a flow of products, instead of a huge initial spike," said Kaz Hirai, COO of Sony.

Foresight Marketing & Design Ltd., a marketing and consulting firm in Eastern Canada, has recently created a new division, Foresight Animation Studio. The toon house offers traditional animation and graphics as well as other creative services like Website design. Animation director Roger Foucault (also the creative director of Foresight's marketing firm) brings full traditional and classical animation training skills to the studio and hopes to see their company establish long-term business relationships with others. For more information contact Foresight at: P.O.

Alleged plans by Universal to release as many as 65 episodes of the original X-MEN animated series on video has landed them in court. Saban Entertainment Inc. and Fox Children’s Network have filed suit against Universal Studios Home Video in an attempt to block the release of the videos and DVDs. The suit claims that, Universal has the right to produce one video containing three episodes of the X-MEN series per broadcast season in the U.S. and holds only international rights to the entire 65-episode library.

ZDF Enterprises has announced the creation of a new subsidiary, ZDF.new media. Based in Mainz, Germany, ZDF.new media will be run by recently appointed Peter Lang, president of marketing and sales, and Dirk Max Johns, president of content and multimedia products. The duo, with a staff of ten, will develop and grow the company’s Websites www.zdf.msnbc.de and www.adf.de. "The foundation of ZDF.new media marks an important milestone for the future development of the ZDF-Group," said Alexander Coridass, president of ZDF Enterprises.

Despite a negative recommendation by the negotiating committee, the members of Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists and Affiliated Optical Electronic and Graphic Arts, Local 839 IATSE, have ratified a new collective bargaining agreement. The contract includes higher increases in minimum rates (8% in the first year, 4% in the second year, 3% in the third), higher health and pension contributions for freelance animation writers and storyboard artists, and a new framework for screen credit arbitration.

AWN's stock ticker features the most prominent publicly traded companies in the world of animation. AWN, Inc. makes available certain financial information from third party information providers. AWN does not give advice in any such fields, and has not reviewed, and in no way endorses the validity of such data. This information is provided solely as a means to keep our readers informed of the market performance and trends of certain companies. AWN strongly suggests that one seek advice from a competent professional regarding any investment or financial issues.

Red Sky, an interactive solutions provider, announced the acquisition of Olive Jar Studios, a Boston and Los Angeles-based animation and film production studio, and White Noise Productions, a Los Angeles-based full service multimedia firm. "A concept we believe strongly in is 'applied entertainment,' which means that our solutions transcend mere functionality and bring emotion to interactive experiences delivered across all media, from narrow to broadband platforms and devices," said Bill Bingham, chairman and CEO of Red Sky.